Brown School Buzz
October 11, 2023
Dear Families,
Happy October! Indeed, we are happy to see the dawning of October and the students engaged in the "meat" of the curricula. It takes some time to transition back to school, learn the routines and procedures of a new classroom, and make the social connections essential for a successful year. While most students are able to transition into school in the morning smoothly by this time, for others, it may take longer. This can be tough for both you and your child, especially when we are asking you to remain outside and allow us to transition your child into the building. The counselors, teachers and really, all staff members have been on hand to help those who have been struggling to make the transition into the building and on to class. Despite a child's tears or anxious behaviors when they arrive, most often they are smiling, working and playing right along with their classmates in minutes. A large part of elementary school social emotional learning is independence, and we appreciate the support of our families to trust that we will take care of your children, even when they leave you in tears.
Separation and transition struggles can happen any time of the year, but are most common at the beginning of the school year, after school vacations, when there are changes in home life, and sometimes, the child is just plain tired. Of course, as a parent, it can be difficult when your child clings to you and has trouble separating, If your child struggles with separating from one or both parents, there are some things you can do to support getting through this phase. And for most kids, it truly is a phase. When researching for this week's newsletter, I found no shortage of articles and support for parents to get through tough transitions. I particularly appreciated the point in one article from the CDC "Remember that this is a phase—building new relationships is a skill, and with support, children can be resilient. Even if it’s hard to separate, children will gain a new trusted relationship with their new teacher and feel more secure."
We understand it is a challenge for parents, but I think it helps to know it truly is helping your child build an essential skill of building trusting relationships. When this happens, we appreciate your trust, partnership and understanding.
Students in Ms. Hecht's class proudly share their writing
September 26th- 15% of Students Updated
October 10th-30% of Students updated
Help us Reach our Goal of 100% by Nov. 1st!
BROWN SCHOOL ASPEN UPDATE, UPDATE
Thank you to all who have updating your Aspen account, or have attempted to update your account. We are getting there, and we still have a long way to go. On Sept. 26, we had 66 out of 444 students with updated Aspen accounts. As of today, we have doubled that number.
CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO UPDATE YOUR ASPEN ACCOUNT
Ready to update?
CLICK HERE TO LOG IN TO ASPEN TO UPDATE YOUR ASPEN ACCOUNT
Let us know if we can help!
IT'S BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!
The PTO sponsored Monster Mash is on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20 5:00-7:00 PM
Click on the Monster Mash photo below to get your tickets!
It Takes a Village!
The Monster Mash is amazing because of you! Last year we had about 1000 people attend the Monster Mash, so needless to say, it takes a lot of people to pull off. If you can volunteer for set up, clean up or facilitate an activity, please SIGN UP HERE. Even one hour of help can help immensely! Thanks for being part of the village! We couldn't do it without you!
Rachel Nardone
Milena Connelly
We have been fortunate to add some wonderful teachers to our staff this year who come to us with a variety of experiences. Please join me in welcoming Rachel Nardone, Milena Connelly, Jamie Scranton, and Lindsay Simmons!
Jamie Scranton
Special Educator
Lindsay Simmons
Please, please, please help keep our kids safe!
We have received reports of vehicles not stopping at the crosswalks near the Brown School, especially at the intersection near the Tower School. Please move slowly in our neighborhood, be mindful of children walking, biking and rolling to school, and please, obey the the crossing guard. They are doing important work, and on more than one occasion, the crossing guard's direction to stop traffic has been ignored by a vehicle. We need to work together to keep our kids safe. Thank you for your help with this important issue.
CORI, Fingerprinting and Volunteering and Chaperoning
Recently, we've received a number of inquiries regarding our CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) and Fingerprinting requirements for volunteering at the Brown School and for chaperoning field trips, in our schools. The CORI process is a multi step process and it can take some time to be approved (this time varies).
**CORI is good for 3 years. Some of our third grade parents who have been volunteering since kindergarten may need to be updated.
Feedback or Topics?
We are always interested in hearing from you! The newsletter seems to be reaching many families. We appreciate your efforts to stay in touch. Please EMAIL ME if you would like to share your topics of interest, curriculum questions, or any information you would like to see in the Brown Buzz!
Dates to Note
Thurs. Oct. 12-PTO Meeting 8:30 AM in the Brown School Cafe
Thurs. Oct. 19-School Advisory Council Meeting
Thurs. Oct. 19-School Committee Meeting
Fri. Oct. 20- Monster Mash!
Wed. Oct. 25-NOON DISMISSAL-Professional Dev.
Friday, Nov. 10-No School-Veterans Day Observed
Wed. Nov. 22-NOON DISMISSAL for Holiday weekend
November 23-24-No School Thanksgiving Break
L & J Brown School
Email: maxfield.mary@marbleheadschools.org
Website: https://www.marbleheadschools.org
Location: 40-42 Baldwin Road, Marblehead, MA, USA
Phone: 7816393112